


Matey

by pandehelado



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22113274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandehelado/pseuds/pandehelado
Summary: A theatrical presentation of a courtroom procedural conducted by pirates to pass the time between raids.If only it didn't hit so close to home...
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi
Kudos: 11





	Matey

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY WONUHOSH DAY!!!

There are many things on land that cannot be explained but the sea holds even more secrets that even mysterious land dwellers would dare not speak of.

The Isle of the Seventh Sister is one such thing.

Perpetually covered in mist, it sometimes smells of soot, of oil, of gunpowder; of a thousand offerings made to forgotten gods. Woe befalls anyone who dare try to rob it of its secrets. No sooner would they join its ranks...

...if the rumors are to be believed.

In reality, the mist that covers the island is man-made, the rumors perpetuated by Captain Bloodmane's crew of the good ship, Terpsichore.

"Hyung! We've finished setting up the cauldrons."

"Good, good. After we finish boiling the seawater, we'll have enough drinking water and salt for our next journey.

But enough about that. Come on board, the festivities are about to begin."

Chan, Myungho, and Seungcheol clamber up the side of the ship, eager to see what the assigned crew men have come up with for tonight's entertainment.

"I hear someone's gonna walk the plank." Chan chimes excitedly.

"Someone always walks the plank.” Myungho stretches his arms up above his head, drinking water duty a common pain on his shoulders. “Besides, it's not like the water around here is dangerous enough for that to be enjoyable."

"We're having a trial today. Would that be interesting enough, dear Myungho?" Jeonghan whispers to the oncoming crew.

"Who is it this time? If it's Jun-hyung again then no, thanks.”

“Why?”

“It just always ends up with him defending himself in the most outlandish of ways, not only getting away with murder but also convincing everyone that he’d been shortchanged so he ends up getting an extra gold coin the next time we go on a raid."

"Actually, Soonyoung's on the chopping block tonight."

Chan can't help the evil grin that spreads across his face.

"Captain Bloodmane hasn't been on trial in ever. I heard of stories from when Jihoon-hyung had let himself go that he once was tried during his early years as a pirate but..."

"But what?"

Chan couldn't help the snicker that escapes him. "Let's just say that it was the crew’s unanimous decision that he couldn't have committed the crime because everyone thought him too stupid to have actually succeeded."

"And yet he still ended up being the captain of the Terpsichore." Seungcheol pipes up as he led them back to the hold to get ready for tonight’s event.

The oldest ones grinned at each other, knowing that being able to convince actual pirates that he was too weak (too cute) or too inept was definitely one of their Captain’s charms.

"So, who are the instigators of tonight's trial?"

"Jihoon, Seokmin, and Hansol."

"I mean, I get Jihoon-hyung wanting to put Soonyoung-hyung on trial but why would he ask Seokmin and Hansol for help. If anything, those two would be against it the most."

"On the contrary, those two are the ones who suggested tonight's inquisition."

"Then, the question on my mind now is, how were they able to convince Jihoon-hyung in helping them?"

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough, after we finish up with our chores, that is."

Chan had been excited ever since he found out about the captain being on trial tonight. He had been one of the new recruits and hadn't had as much history with the others. The mock trials were usually the best way to find out how each crew member ticked.

Jun-hyung had a habit of bringing the oddest finds during their raids but always ends up bringing more money in when he goes on his secret jaunts to sell them. Jihoon-hyung was very methodical in his approach and made sure to do reconnaissance first before he goes on the hunt. He has the record for the fewest casualties in relation to treasure acquisition.

"Common folk are generally reasonable people. As long as you don't cause them any harm and willing to pay them in kind, they wouldn’t mind feigning ignorance while hiding you from the authorities."

Soonyoung-hyung, on the other hand, is a paragon of contradiction.

He'd taken to pirating when the previous crew of the Terpsichore crashed the coronation ceremony of the kingdom where he had once served as court jester.

"From what I heard,” Jeonghan helpfully told. “When the previous captain had cornered the prince, he went between the two of them and wrestled the cutlass away from the pirate leader. A second later, he had the royal crown and royal seal in hand and offered it to the captain in exchange for taking him in. The captain informed Soonyoung that he overpowered him and took his sword for his own just to do away with the prince so why should he grant his request, to which Soonyoung replied,

'Would you rather take it directly from him, then?’ pointing the sword at the fallen prince. ‘It's not like the spoiled brat has enough breath in him to defend himself, let alone fight you for it.

I rather say, he doesn't have any breath at all, really.'

The previous captain had been so amused that he picked the once court jester up, slung him over his shoulder, retrieved his sword, and laughed all the way back to the ship, as his crew plundered what was left of the disgraced castle.”

“They must’ve treated him horribly if he was willing to do away with the prince so flippantly like that.”

“On the contrary, the king actually held him in high regard during his brief stint at the castle, up until the man died the previous week.”

“Then, why would he commit such a treasonous act against the son of his once benefactor?”

“Apparently, he had overheard the prince plotting the king's demise so he can take over the throne. Unfortunately, he had been captured before he was able to warn him and had only found out about the aftermath when the previous crew of the Terpsichore had staged a prison break along with their attack on the castle.

I rather believe he had only been able to overpower the previous captain because he wanted to personally avenge his friend, the king.

He doesn't really like talking about that part of his life much, apart from when a case of melancholia hits.

He is willing to show off the royal crown and seal the previous captain left to him as a memento, though."

A glint catches Chan’s eye and he turns to greet the man walking from the other side of the ship.

"Wonwoo-hyung!" He runs up to the recent addition to their crew, the bookkeeper Jeon Wonwoo.

They had found the bookkeeper on his way to an island prison during a covert transport by one of the local townships and had rescued him.

It seems he'd been made the scapegoat of a corrupt official that had been stealing from the town coffers.

"I should have been suspicious right at the start since the town is far enough from the capital that they generally didn't have a need for my services. I was merely hired as a contingency, the mayor probably having gotten wind that his corruption had reached the ears of his higher ups.

The funny thing is even after I had been sentenced to spend my life in prison, they somehow didn't see to the return of the assets that I supposedly stole, citing something along the lines of 'the entire fortune had been lost at sea'."

"Well, that wouldn't do." Soonyoung's grin turning feral. "If they declared that the money had been claimed by the waters, then shouldn't it be fair game if someone found them." Wonwoo nodded meekly, somewhat understanding what the captain of the Terpsichore had in mind. "Besides, I'm positive they made sure to cross our territory so that we would kill you and they wouldn't have to worry about you getting questioned by the authorities looking into the lost fortune.

If they say it was lost, then it would be a disservice to not make it a reality."

_The whole debacle ended with the mayor hogtied and divested of his finery, having been deposited in the dead of night a short ways away from the castle gates with a note attached to him that read:_

‘ _Heard from the grapevine that a huge chunk of tax money had been lost at sea and figured I’d give it a shot. We searched high and low and didn’t find anything. Color me surprised when the very treasure we were trying to find had been in the mayor’s private coffers all along, a whole few year’s worth, it looks like. So, what’s a good citizen to do but turn him in._

_See. I’m not such a bad guy if you think about it._

_For bringing the scoundrel to justice, I will be taking the “lost fortune” as payment._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Captain Bloodmane_

“Who am I to take a man’s life and let him get the easy way out when he could just very well serve his sentence digging in the royal mines to pay for all the gold he’d swindled from all the townsfolk?”

“It kinda made sense and yet it didn’t but at least that corrupt mayor wasn’t going to cheat unsuspecting townsfolk of their hard earned money any more.”

“Wonwoo-yah!”

They both look over at Jihoon walking towards them.

“I need your help with tonight’s show. Have you already finished all your chores?”

“Just about.”

“After dinner, meet me by my quarters so we can set everything up.”

“Hyung, I heard from Jeonghan-hyung that tonight’s play would be really good.”

Jihoon stops, tapping his chin before replying. “Oh, it’s good, but depending on how Soonyoung answers to the accusations against him... let’s just say there are two outcomes and were aiming for the best one.”

The two now wonder what the three co-conspirators have in store for the whole crew, especially with how cryptic Jihoon had been.

“If there’s anyone who can try and convict Bloodmane, it would definitely be Lee Jihoon.”

Chan nods in acknowledgment, hoping not to get on Jihoon-hyung’s bad side.

“Do they honestly think they can pull something over me just like that?”

“Hyung!”

Soonyoung drapes an arm over Chan’s shoulder as they make their way towards the masts where an impromptu courtroom had just been set up.

“I mean, I see why you would be confident seeing as it’s Hansol-hyung and Seokmin-hyung who came up with the idea but they did get Jihoon-hyung to preside over the trial so...”

Chan tries not to laugh at the small shiver of fear that came from his captain. It wouldn’t do to waste all of the revelry before the main event happens after all.

“Hyung!”

Hansol and Seokmin are all smiles as they approach the two, the man in question eyes them steely but can’t seem to intimidate them this time.

“We’ll escort you to your seat.”

Soonyoung is all for the crew having a good time at his expense, having been the defendant a few times during these mock trials but something about the delighted grins on their faces has him a little on edge. He hopes that he doesn’t end up with a mutiny on his hands.

“All rise for our venerable judge, Judge Lee Jihoon.”

“Order, order!” Jihoon strikes his hammer against the stacked crates he has for a crude judge’s podium, the entire crew making a ruckus the minute he came out wearing gaudy robes and a powdered wig, of all things.

“Wait. I don’t get a counsel?”

“Silence! Or I’ll have you arrested in contempt.”

“I mean, you could get one, hyung, but I doubt you’d be able to tell your counsel the specifics of your case anyway so we thought it best that you represent yourself. Well, try to, at least.” Seokmin smiles gleefully at him.

“Besides, you’ve gotten out of tight spots before, what’s the worse that could happen?”

Soonyoung feels a slight trickle of fear at how confident the two are and reminds himself to work them harder the next time they’re out on a run.

“Will the prosecution please be so kind as to state their case against the accused.”

“We two, representing the honorable crew of the Terpsichore hereby accuse our beloved captain, Bloodmane, of keeping a very valuable secret that could, if left untold, rock the foundation and ultimately topple the entire framework our crew’s dynamic rely on.”

“And we’ve gathered to hear straight from the tiger’s mouth himself if the accusations against him are warranted or not.”

The uproar was expected. The captain had been keeping things from them, big enough that if not addressed would cause the entire crew to go their separate ways? Of course, everyone knew it was all for show but for Seokmin and Hansol to come up with something so devious... that these two in particular. What was the terrible secret that Captain Bloodmane dare not tell?

Soonyoung wonders what secret they’re talking about. He’s always been open about his actions with his crew but to find out that they still doubt him? He knows it’s just a mock trial but maybe he should talk to them at length after, just so he can make sure that everything between them is clear as crystal.

“I wonder what that covered thing is above the ‘podium’.” Soonyoung hears Chan pipe up from the cheap seats.

“I’m glad you asked. If you would, dear Hansol.” Hansol nods his head at his partner-in-crime then bows towards Judge Jihoon, the man giving him permission to go. He hoists himself quickly up the mast and takes a seat beside said “covered thing”.

“Would the accused, Bloodmane, please approach the witness stand?”

“May I ask what’s under there?”

“All in due time. Now, please come up to the witness stand. We don’t have all day.”

Soonyoung grumbles before standing up, making a show of trudging forward, and slumping unceremoniously in the witness stand.

“Now, before we start our interrogation, Hansol, if you please, reveal our key evidence in our case against Captain Bloodmane.”

Hansol stands up and salutes the crew before removing the sheet over what seems to be a cage with a flourish.

“Wonwoo?!” Soonyoung sits straight up, eyes wide as he looks up at the cage where the man is currently in.

The crew is suddenly a-titter, the sudden development in the case having blindsided all of them. Hansol takes that as a cue to rappel back down and take his place next to Seokmin, the two of them ignoring Soonyoung’s fiery stare.

“Release him. NOW!”

“You don’t have to worry about anything. We asked his permission. Besides, it’s just a mock trial. Unless you really have something to hide.”

Soonyoung looks up in worry, Wonwoo waving at him and giving him a thumbs up. If only it helped to reassure him. He’d rather not remember the time they’d found him battered and bruised in that ship’s stronghold bound for prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

The question now is, what is really the case against Soonyoung that has Wonwoo, not as a witness, but as key evidence.

“Now, before we start our questioning, we would just like to inform the people about the key evidence.” Seokmin makes a show of rustling some papers, though if one looks closely, he does have things written on there, a sign that they had indeed prepared a lot for this trial.

“Jeon Wonwoo had been rescued from a prison ship that had suspiciously wandered into our territory. Seeing as he was the only person of interest there, we had taken him in and heard his story, one about corruption and unjust accusations. After dear Captain Bloodmane ‘rectified’ his previous dilemma, he was offered a part in Terpsichore’s crew and had gladly accepted.

Having been a bookkeeper his previous life, it had been a boon to our crew that he’d joined, not having to fight over the inequality in distributing loot and being able to appraise what’s seems to be worthless haul. He has been a great addition to our team.”

TAK, TAK, TAK!

Soonyoung startles at the rapping of Jihoon’s hammer.

_If anything bad happens to Wonwoo..._

Jihoon is still immune to his death stares.

“He’s fine. I dare say, you should be more worried for yourself since those two did their research. Their argument is very compelling, indeed.” He’d rather wipe the smirk off his face but he’d left his cutlass in his quarters and Jihoon had a hammer.

“We’d like to present Exhibit A.” Seokmin states as Hansol brings out a pair of shackles on top of a worn out throw pillow. “The shackles Jeon Wonwoo had been wearing on his way to the island prison.”

“Why do you even need to bring that out? I thought this was my trial.”

“Indeed, it is.” Seokmin harrumphed. “I would just like to inform everyone that we asked for permission before we use anything as evidence so there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Are they allowed to do that?”

“Like I said, they were very thorough. I mean, you could ask Wonwoo about it but you’re currently on trial right now, as you have just stated, so technically you just have to wait after you receive your sentence.”

_Receive my sentence? Is Jihoon saying what I think he is? That they’ve already decided on my guilt. Well, if they think I’m just gonna play along to this whole charade, they have another thing coming._

“Now, as everyone already knows the story of how Jeon Wonwoo ended up joining the crew of the Terpsichore, we won’t bore you with the details. We’d just like to remind everyone, however, that it was a very sad story indeed.”

Soonyoung would rather ignore the maudlin display the rest of the crew is currently acting out, with Jeonghan-hyung at the helm. He’d rather get this over with and get Wonwoo down from where he is.

“There are a few questions we would like to ask the defendant about the story, for clarifications’ sake, of course.”

_If they think they’re gonna pull something on me..._

“After boarding the unwitting prison barge and finding nothing of monetary value, why waste your time helping someone who could’ve been, well, lying?

For all you knew, he probably did commit the crime and had been legitimately sent to the island prison after his subsequent arrest.”

“That would be true, if it weren’t for the fact that the routes to the island prison didn’t even overlap any of the preexisting pirate territories.” Soonyoung states in defense. “And it’s not the first time I’ve encountered this scheme by corrupt officials of using a pirate’s habit of just trying to protect their territory from interlopers to get rid of people in their way. Imagine doing an honest day’s work looking for treasure then hearing more about how you kill people without remorse just because you’re a pirate. How rude.

And there was monetary value in the information Wonwoo had given. Not only we’re we able to get a really huge haul, we also ended up doing a good deed that could last us for years.”

“And what about asking Jeon Wonwoo if he would like to join the crew of the Terpsichore? For all intents and purposes, after hearing his story, the most we could’ve done is left him in an empty barrel to fend for himself. The least, death. I mean, what about his family? Do we even know if he still has one?”

“I do not!” Wonwoo bellows helpfully from his cage.

“In any case, we would just like to know what was it about Jeon Wonwoo that let you decide to take him in?”

“Does there need to be a reason? Honestly, pirates really get a bad rap. Just because I am one doesn’t mean I’ll always go the route of evil all the time. Take you two, for example.

Seokmin, you had been a bard that had been taken for granted so much that you continued to sing for free because of your love for singing, and to drown out the rumbling of your gut.

Hansol, the village idiot, had apparently just been too smart for the village he’d come from.

Have I gotten any use from you? Definitely. Aside from me, would anyone else have given you a chance? Probably a small handful and that’s only if they were as well traveled as I am and a good judge of character. All I know is Wonwoo had needed help and I extended a hand, that’s all.”

“Fair enough.” The two nod at each other, grateful smiles on their faces, obviously agreeing with their captain. Soonyoung would’ve been able to breathe a sigh of relief if it wasn’t for the fact that they still weren’t finished with the questioning.

And now he’s wondering if they even let Wonwoo have his dinner or gave him a blanket to cover himself. It gets terribly cold up there at this time of night.

“Now, for Exhibit B.” Hansol gestures for Chan that it’s finally his turn, the man enthusiastically and proudly carrying a cutlass on another worn out throw pillow, as if he’s a ring bearer at a wedding. Soonyoung feels disappointment at knowing that they even included Chan in their schemes.

“Lee Chan’s cutlass. Everyone must be wondering how he’d become so proficient in such a short amount of time.”

“Practice, of course.” Chan’s about to make a fancy demonstration but holds off when he sees Jihoon threaten to hit him on the head with the hammer.

“Of course, we definitely cannot ignore one’s hard work. But it seems you have acquired a technique that we’ve never seen before. And considering that the captain, the accused, is the only one teaching you, we were wondering if you developed that on your own or...”

“Yeah, well...” Chan grins sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “I may have persuaded Wonwoo-hyung to give me a few lessons on the side as well. I mean, you can never have too many techniques on your belt, that’s what I always say.”

“Huh. How about that? Apparently, Jeon Wonwoo is adept enough in using a sword that he can teach a young pirate to fight. Who would’ve known? Did you know about this?” Seokmin shakes his head in the negative. Soonyoung wants to strangle the both of them.

“I’d like to turn the question on to the accused.” Hansol sets his sights on Soonyoung. “Did you or did you not know that Jeon Wonwoo can use a sword, enough that he can fight someone with it?”

“I do.”

“And yet you do not let him go with us on our raids?”

“Because he’s a bookkeeper! He doesn’t need to fight! There’s literally twelve other people here! Isn’t that enough?!”

“Well... I guess we shouldn’t tell him about the Turtle Cove incident, then.”

“What about Turtle Cove?” They had been waiting for that exact reaction. The two just hadn’t expected how much angrier Soonyoung would get. But, the show must go on, so Hansol and Seokmin try to hold their ground as much as they could.

“Remember that one time we had a tiff with that small upstart pirate faction at Turtle Cove. It seemed a few of their more sober members didn’t like how they were treated and planned on boarding our ship and doing away with all of us, drunk off our asses we all were.

The following morning, Jeon Wonwoo had been spotted loading some barrels then asking for some help.

I believe the conversation went something like this:

‘Oh, thank goodness, somebody’s awake. Now, this has to be a secret but can you help me dispose of these? I’ll give you a gold piece for your troubles.’

‘Hyung, is that a dead body?! Are all of these barrels filled with dead bodies!?’

‘Don’t worry. They’re not dead. Just unconscious.

Since everybody passed out after returning from Turtle Cove, I figured I could keep watch and these four just happen to clumsily hobble over the banisters making a small ruckus about making everybody on board pay with their lives for their humiliation. It’s a good thing they were a little inebriated already or I wouldn’t have had any choice but to kill them.

Now, hurry up and help me dump them overboard before everybody wakes up, the whole crew and these mooks.’

I, personally, already appreciated my life being saved but to get a gold piece as well? Now, that’s how you can tell if someone’s good or not.”

Hansol looks proud of himself as he recounted his story but it seems to have a different effect on Soonyoung, who is currently red in the face.

“JEON WONWOO!!!”

“ORDER! ORDER IN THE COURT! I SWEAR, I WILL THROW EVERYONE IN THE BRIG IF YOU DON’T BRING BACK ORDER IN THE COURT!”

“I guess it’s a good thing he’s high up and in a cage then or else Soonyoung-hyung would be strangling him right about now.”

“You do realize the next time we see that pirate faction again, they’ll definitely be dead meat this time, right?”

“Oops. Well, they were trying to kill us when we were vulnerable. It’s not our fault that they sucked at it. If anything, they should be thankful that Wonwoo-hyung let them live.”

“For only about a few months until Soonyoung-hyung finds them and escort them to Davey Jones’ locker himself, singlehandedly, ‘might I add.”

“You never know. If all goes well, they’ll have more to be thankful to Wonwoo-hyung for than their second chance at life.”

“I swear, why would he take action without even thinking of the consequences. He could’ve gotten hurt or killed. But no, he just has to be the hero, trying to save everyone’s lives at the cost of his own.”

“If that’s how low you think of Wonwoo, then I suggest we end this farce right now so you can jump off the plank and save us all the trouble of proving how stupid you are.”

“Jihoon, not now.” Soonyoung tries to block out the other man’s voice. With his face in both hands, it’s about as effective as one might think.

“When, then? Look. The guy wasn’t out there trying to be a hero. He saw something bad was about to go down and he knew that he was capable enough to stop it. Not to mention the fact that he already considers us as his family. He was just doing what any sane man would do if faced with the same situation. Granted, he could’ve just killed them outright and told of the midnight ambush so we could dispose of the bilge rats once and for all but you know Wonwoo never liked unnecessary bloodshed.”

“Please stop making sense. It’s giving me a headache.”

“Well, it’s a good thing this trial is about to finish because I sure as hell have had enough of the theatrics this supposedly simple mock trial had drawn out from our captain.” Jihoon just grins at Soonyoung’s raised eyebrow.

“And now, for the finale, Exhibit C. Hansol, if you please.” Hansol takes a bow from beside the judge’s podium, takes Chan’s cutlass from the pillow, twirls it a couple of times before he throws it at the peanut gallery (Chan deftly catching it, with much applause from the other crew members), takes something from his pocket, shines it on his shirt, then gingerly places it on the now vacated throw pillow.”

“Seriously. All that for this?”

“We only had two pillows.”

“No. I meant, that. Your last evidence is an orange.”

“Ah. But it’s not just any orange.” Seokmin pipes up from their table. “Hansol, if you would.” Hansol directs their attention to a spot on said orange.

“What are we supposed to be looking at here?”

“Exhibit C, a bruised orange.”

Seokmin and Hansol doesn’t appreciate Soonyoung almost falling off his chair, trying to laugh his head off at Exhibit C. It’s just an orange, it didn’t do anything wrong.

If only he knew it would be the most damning one of all.

“Are you done?” Jihoon gestures at Soonyoung with his hammer.

“Just about.” Soonyoung breathes, still giggling at how absurd their Exhibit C is. “Wait. Isn’t that one of the oranges from the trading post we got yesterday, the one I painstakingly brought aboard ship?”

“Why, yes, it is.”

“Well, considering that you hadn’t asked for my permission, you can’t use it for your case, irrelevant as it is.”

“Au contraire, mon frère.” Hansol confuses the crew most of the time but this is way up there than the other times for sure. “First, all supplies are available for anyone who needs them, b. I asked you yesterday if I could have some and you said, in your own words, ‘Sure. Go crazy.’, and No. 3, this particular piece of fruit is the final nail to your proverbial coffin.”

“Ooh. I’d like to hear where this is going, considering that all this time, every single testament that you’ve been telling the court only involves me in the slightest, none of it even enough to indict me of any crime.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“From what you’ve previously heard from the accused, the orange in question did indeed come from yesterday’s trip to the trading post. Now, I’d like to ask the court if they’ve ever had to eat any produce ever that had such an obvious bruising.” The whole crew shakes their head in the negative, even Jihoon, who had only been privy to the story of the shackles and the cutlass, the significance of the bruised orange news to him as well.

“Do you know why that is? Because dear Captain Bloodmane was once a farmer’s son and he can’t abide paying good money for shoddy produce. If it isn’t up to standard, he’s not gonna pay top coin for it.” Seokmin smiles beatifically at Soonyoung who he knows will never be able to refute this fact. “Something along the lines of, ‘Why should those who neglect their crops try to pass it off to the buyers? I’d rather my gold go to those who made sure to cultivate their crops and made them bountiful.’”

“I’d just like to say, before anybody accuses anyone of deliberately bruising said orange, remember, this is just a mock trial. No one here is dumb enough to disrespect food.” Hansol smiles at the disappointed look on the captain’s face, cutting off the train of thought that had the man snapping his fingers. “And, by the way, if anybody is wondering, there are a few of them suffering the same predicament.”

“You may be wondering,” Seokmin stands up and walks on the other side of the judge’s podium, in front of Soonyoung. “if everything that we’ve ever gotten from the trading post passed through the captain’s very high standards, where did the bruised oranges come from? Where they hidden inside the barrel before pickup? That couldn’t be. I can honestly say that I’ve seen the captain head deep in a barrel a number of times just to make sure everything he handpicked looked as fresh as he bought them. So, what could be the cause of the phantom bruising?” He looks directly at Soonyoung who still can’t tell what he’s talking about but knows he doesn’t like where the conversation is going.

“Maybe the barrel was open, perhaps? An accident?” Jun pipes up from the audience.

The two men smirk. “An open barrel and an accident, you say?”

“I mean, I could understand opening the barrel. You do have to check if what you bought is still alright even after the short trip from land to the ship. But it had been a calm day on the waters so unnecessary accidents shouldn’t have happened.”

“Now, if I may supply a scenario. The captain had opened the barrel to check if the contents are still okay. He closed it and started to carefully lug it around across the deck to the store room when from out of nowhere, BAM! something surprises the captain, startling him enough that he falters. Not realizing that the sudden jolt loosened the barrel lid, he thanks the heavens that he didn’t damage the goods. But then POW! another assault that he hadn’t anticipated. With his steps already being unsure, all it took was for his hands to slip and the rest is history.”

Throughout all this, Soonyoung had been listening intently, trying to piece together the significance between the shackles, the cutlass, and the bruised orange, and what they all had to do with him, and apparently, Wonwoo as well.

When Hansol finishes his story, it dawns on him that he is, in fact, guilty. He wordlessly gets up from the witness stand and makes his way directly towards the gangplank that they’ve already set up beforehand. If he’s lucky, there will be real sharks waiting for him in the depths.

“Hyung! I mean, Captain Bloodmane, where do you think you’re going? The trial hasn’t even finished.”

“What’s the point in finishing the trial when the accused already knows that he’d lost!? Now, come here and facilitate my demise, Captain’s orders!”

The two just shrug before they follow behind him. And they hadn’t even gotten to the good part yet.

“Iherebyjudgetheaccused,CaptainBloodmane,guiltybyselfadmissionofthecrime! TAK!” Jihoon says in one breath, hitting the crate once with a loud smack before he’s shucking off his robes and throwing away his wig in haste. Of course, he’s not gonna miss Soonyoung hitting the drink.

He pats the two in the back in congratulations. “I couldn’t believe that you’d be able to pull it off like you said but you did it. You got one over on Soonyoung. Good job, guys.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I mean, it would’ve been way more fun if he had just let us finish and then, let us have him walk the plank.”

“Hurry up! I don’t have all day!”

And look whose now hurrying people up just because they lost.

The crowd gathers with lighted torches beside the boat, to better see their captain take the plunge. The water is shallow, enough that he’ll be able to clamber on board in no time but deep enough that he won’t hit anything and make him thoroughly soggy.

“I love when we have show night.” Chan chimes from the crowd.

“But Soonyoung didn’t even let them finish.” Jun replied, arms crossed in disappointment.

Mingyu nodded. “I wanted to know what the deal was with the bruised orange.”

“I still don’t know what crime he actually committed.” Seungkwan pipes in.

“Or how Wonwoo is connected to all of this.” Seungcheol wonders aloud.

“ORDER! ORDER!” Jihoon claps loudly in lieu of his hammer. “For admitting to the crime that had been served in this very courtroom, I, honorable judge Lee Jihoon, ESQ., hereby sentence you to a long walk on a short pier.”

“You’re a short pier!” And Jihoon was contemplating on just sentencing him to dishwashing duty for a month. The briny deep, it is.

“Just walk the plank.”

“Any last words?”

“To think that a mock trial would end up being a real mutiny, I hope you all rot!” Soonyoung startles when he hears Myungho shout “Stop being a drama queen! Just jump already!”

It has been way too long since he had to take the plunge. And to think it had to be because of this. He knows he needs to keep his eyes open but...

Soonyoung closes his eyes, breathes one last breath, then takes the last step off the plank.

A sudden gust of wind blows across the side of the ship, making everyone cover their eyes. When they all look down into the depths, Soonyoung is nowhere to be found.

“Do I really have to do everything around here?” Wonwoo says as he puts Soonyoung down, the man clinging to him immediately after when he realizes that they’re all the way up the mast where his cage had been.

“Wonwoo. But, how...” Soonyoung gestures to the open cage.

“It wasn’t locked, if that’s what you’re asking. It’s more of a display case, if anything. Now, before I lose my nerve, I’m gonna ask you again,

‘Do I really have to do everything around here?’”

“Yes.” Soonyoung burbles, Wonwoo letting him cry on his shirt, knowing the ordeal that he had to go through just for them to get to this point.

“He’s over here. You can stop looking. They’re both up there. Woohoo!” Jeonghan made sure to check up on Wonwoo. If a harpy had indeed snatched Soonyoung up, Wonwoo would have also been fair game. But, from the looks of it, Wonwoo had been the one doing the snatching. He waits for the two to have their moment before he tells on them, though. He’d rather not embarrassed them before they’ve said their peace.

A week later, when the moon is bright and the sea is calm, the Pleiades Islands seem to be devoid of fog. But the faint smell of flowers and tongues of flame dancing in the night sky would make sure that no one but the foolhardy would dare cross through its waters.

Jisoo, having been once a clergyman before they rescued him from his sunken ship, had been deemed perfect for the role. He decided to humor them, his past being a man of the cloth behind him. He’s a pirate now, after all. Though, he guesses, it wouldn’t hurt to give them both blessings just for the occasion.

To the tune of a soft and soothing shanty (made by used-to-be church organist, Jihoon), Chan, carefully traversed the deck, not wanting to fail his simple task.

Ever the hard worker, he’d cut a few small pieces of the theater curtain they’ve been using as extra blankets during the cold rainy season (being careful to cut only at the edges), washed it, and fashioned himself a seemingly new cover for one of those ratty throw pillows. A midnight trip to the local haberdasher’s has him with needle and thread (along with two wedding suits and his own that seemed to have been made for a posh manservant). After some questioning, he returns them and leaves a pouch full of coins in penance (but not before taking two identical suits two sizes smaller).

Dressed up in his finery (which he’ll definitely use later when he scouts for rich people houses), he holds his fancy pillow in his bandaged fingers, four large hoops and a pair of rings perfectly secured on loops of golden thread.

He smiles at Jisoo-hyung once he’s reached the two grooms. He can’t help but feel a little bad for Wonwoo-hyung but what can he do.

Soonyoung-hyung has been silently crying nonstop ever since he’d exited the Captain’s Quarters, the view of the Terpsichore strewn with garlands and boughs of pink flowers, highlighted by covered lanterns. On the other end of the deck, against the backlit sail stands Wonwoo-hyung, in his still too big suit...

“Hyung, this is supposed to be a happy occasion.”

“I am happy! Now, help me get these things off this dastardly pillow. I can’t see very well.”

“You and me both.” The crew laugh, Soonyoung lightly hitting Wonwoo, who decided not to wear his glasses (“I’m serious, I’m blind as a bat.”). Hansol and Seokmin, the primary instigators of this union, now play their part as best men, unlocking the pieces of jewelry before handing them over.

Per tradition, it was only supposed to be an exchange of hoop earrings but since Wonwoo doesn’t have his ears pierced, Soonyoung opted to have rings crafted instead. Wonwoo, who may or may not have anticipated this move, let Jihoon pierce his ears, much to Soonyoung’s delight and chagrin. Even moreso when the other man decided to pay for the crafting of two pairs of hoops for the two of them.

“Who says we can’t have both?”

After helping each other with their earrings, the two exchange rings. Wonwoo carefully but firmly holding onto Soonyoung’s hand, the man having stopped crying but is now slightly shaking. His soon-to-be husband can’t help but smile.

“I can’t believe I’m getting married.” Soonyoung had resigned himself to being a court jester until he unknowingly became a witness to a crime and gets himself thrown in the dungeon. When he turned into a pirate, he’d figured that it was okay to just be close to his crew, his new family.

“I can’t believe I’m getting married.” Wonwoo had thought the pinnacle of his life ended with him landing a paid job keeping records for a town, the worst being falsely accused of theft and sentenced to death. He’d never even imagined having a life after that, what more a married one.

And yet, here they both were, in front of each other, exchanging tokens, promising to live with and for each other, in front of the only people that matter.

What are the odds?

“Are those your vows?” Having not known anything about the rite (and both being too impatient to just come up with something on the spot), they both nod. Jisoo can’t help but shake his head in fond exasperation, knowing well that it was the first decision the two ever made as a couple. He clears his throat and pretends to read from the battered book he’d now only kept as a sort of protective charm for the crew of the Terpsichore.

“For these unfortunate souls who had both thought that they would leave this mortal coil the same way they arrived, may the Lord bless you and keep you in his merciful countenance as you both love, cherish, and care for each other until the end of your days.

You may now kiss your groom.”

There’s a little bit of confusion on who kisses who first before Wonwoo takes matters into his own hands, cupping Soonyoung’s face with one hand and leaning in, his captain’s eyes slowly closing as their lips lock in each other’s very first kiss.

When Soonyoung’s eyes open, it doesn’t even take a second before he’s hugging Wonwoo for all that he’s worth, the whole ship exploding in jubilation. Jisoo just resigns himself to joining in the revelry, not being able to introduce the newlyweds over all the noise. It’s not like he needs to, anyway, when everyone was already in agreement the minute they found out that Wonwoo had rescued Soonyoung after he jumped off the plank.

“So,” Jeonghan hands Jihoon a chilled bottle of rum, “‘mind telling us now the significance of the bruised orange in bringing our two lovebirds together, seeing as Soonyoung interrupted before we were able to hear the entire story.”

Hansol and Seokmin look at each other, then at Soonyoung whose looking at the two of them with murder in his eyes. It’s a good thing that Wonwoo was plastered to his side, frequently whispering in his ear, making the other man shiver just as much.

“On the fateful day the Terpsichore docked at the trading post, Soonyoung-hyung had been witness to something that he’d never even thought possible, happening in front of his very eyes.” The two say almost in unison, the speech they had prepared for the mock trial now being put to use. And it would be a lie if anybody said that all ears weren’t hanging on their every word.

Wonwoo’s low rumbling laugh, on the other hand, echoes in the wind as he tries to persuade Soonyoung to listen to them rather than trying to scramble off the ship and jumping in the deep black void below.

“I’d been by Soonyoung-hyung’s side, watching as he checked on the oranges for the umpteenth time, even reminding him to fasten the lid tightly if he was so worried about them getting bruised.” Seokmin miming whacking a mallet on an imaginary barrel lid.

“I’d been on the opposite side of the ship, helping Chan pull the ropes to load the deck of our other provisions, one of them being a full barrel of grog.” Hansol pulling up the imaginary barrel of spirits.

“Everyone was expected to help so it was no surprise that Wonwoo-hyung offered to as well, not really caring for Soonyoung-hyung’s reservations on him taking on more duties other than bookkeeping.

‘Everybody’s working hard and I’m just here waiting until you all finish. ‘Might as well help. In any case, carrying a barrel or two wouldn’t be that much of a problem.’

So, I handed him a barrel of grog.”

“Are you telling me that Soonyoung had his first awakening just because Wonwoo decided that he’d do some manual labor?” The two could only nod.

“Well, to be fair, it’s not like the reaction wasn’t warranted.” Hansol stops Chan who had just come from the wedding spread. “Channie, tell them how impressed you were when Wonwoo-hyung helped us with the cargo yesterday.” The man swallows the food in his mouth then starts on his story.

“You would never expect looking at Wonwoo-hyung and thinking that he’d be able to do some backbreaking work but it seems that he’d also done his fair share of heavy lifting back when he was doing his job on land.

The way he just rolled up his sleeves, you should’ve seen how veiny his forearms were. He then lifted the barrel over his shoulder like it was nothing. If we had known that he was capable of doing that, then it wouldn’t have taken us such a long time loading the Terpsichore if he was helping us out the minute he had recovered from his ordeal after joining the crew.”

As “exciting” as Chan’s story was, the crew had focused more on the fact that Wonwoo apparently “rolled up his sleeves, showed off his veiny forearms, and lifted a barrel over his shoulder like it was nothing”, their knowing grins painted plainly on their faces.

“Wait. That explains how the lid of the barrel could’ve gotten loose. What made Soonyoung finally lose his composure and spill all those oranges?”

“Unless people want to get keelhauled, I suggest you cease this conversation at once.” Of course, Soonyoung would be against the continuation of the story, making his way to them before anymore damage happens to his person.

“You would deny the crew your love story even though it was that very reason that brought you and Wonwoo-hyung together. For shame!”

“The least you could do is let your crew live vicariously through you.”

“I kinda want to hear about it as well. I mean, it does involve me.” The crew relishes how their captain tries desperately to not whine at his new husband but everybody knows that he’ll give in sooner rather than later.

“Fine! But you’re sleeping outside.” Soonyoung pouts, the others already sure that he wouldn’t go through with the threat. Wonwoo, feeling cheeky, just plants a wet one on his cheek, making the color run up the captain’s neck until his ears are the same color as his hair.

“You know how it is when you live by the sea. No matter how calm, everything sooner or later gets wet. So, it’s not surprising that the particular barrel of grog that Wonwoo-hyung was carrying was of the same condition.

Now, you might be thinking that ‘Wonwoo-hyung’s shirt got wet and Soonyoung-hyung saw the wet outline of his body..!’”

“if only...” Soonyoung tries to burrow himself into Wonwoo’s chest, trying to hide himself from the inevitable embarrassment that was about to come. His new husband just looks at him fondly before telling Hansol to continue the story.

“Hyung, maybe you should...” Hansol and Chan cringe when Wonwoo just hoists the barrel on his shoulder, the two men feeling bad that their Wonwoo-hyung got wet. Wonwoo looks down at his shirt and shrugs, fixes his glasses, and makes his way down to the brig to store the barrel.

It only takes him a few steps before his whole front is soaked so being the smart person that he was, Wonwoo puts down the barrel before his trousers got wet.

“So... what did he do? Wring the hem of his shirt, shocking Soonyoung enough with a glimpse of his baby soft tummy?” The crew laughs while Soonyoung whines against Wonwoo’s neck. If only his husband didn’t clearly enjoy the storytelling, having already worked out what actually happened.

“How about letting me tell the rest of the story?”

“WONWOO!” Jeonghan prompts Wonwoo to continue. Soonyoung thinks it isn’t too late to jump overboard. At least, he’s assured that Wonwoo would receive his stuff after his demise.

“You would think after everything, I would’ve already been used to things always getting wet around here.” Wonwoo pulls his shirt away from his skin, the hem dripping with water. He hopes that it isn’t a mixture of sea water and grog or he’d have a hard time come laundry day.

Wonwoo approached the side of the ship, gingerly took off his shirt, wrung it out overboard, even snapping it dry a few times. He figured he’d just get wet again so he just folded it, placed it on his shoulder and used it to keep himself dry, placing the still wet barrel on it as he resumed his route down into the belly of the ship.

A loud thud is heard when the barrel of oranges slips from Captain Bloodmane’s grasp, the unlucky passengers falling from their vessel, getting bruised in the process. Because it only took a second for his attention to falter.

“He literally handed me an orange and ordered me to peel it as fast as possible then handed me another after I finished, the two of us ended up eating more than we could handle. I was this close to disliking them. And for what, because Soonyoung-hyung had found himself in a crisis?” Seokmin sadly recounted, obvious grin still on his face.

“Can you blame a man for losing his focus?” Soonyoung laments at the surprised but highly amused faces of his crew. “It was the first time I’ve seen him without his shirt on. Why would a bookkeeper be chiseled like that?! And then he turned around and his back was just as cut?!” He looks over at his new husband, who isn’t even the least bit contrite.

_And the hair..._

“Bookkeepers conduct inventory. And we’d rather handle it personally to make sure that nothing gets stolen. So, it’s not really much of a surprise if a bookkeeper’s body gets developed carrying boxes and lugging barrels around the storehouse.

Besides, at least you won’t have to worry about me carrying you over the threshold, among other things...” Soonyoung retreats into himself as Wonwoo regards him with a heated gaze.

The whole crew just laughs, Captain Bloodmane finally meeting his match. To think it would turn out to be a “disgraced” bookkeeper.

“It seems the spirits at the Pleiades have been more active as of late. Some sailors who had just returned from shore leave reported hearing a sad somber shanty paired with the faint scent of flowers. There were also sightings of will-o'-the-wisp.”

Jihoon grins into his cup, the wedding of Captain Bloodmane not fully escaping the notice of sailors. He lays low, listening in and making sure that no one’s the wiser. He’d rather the stories about the spirits haunting the cove get exaggerated rather than people getting suspicious and poke their nose where it isn’t wanted.

He does take offense at their description of his piece.

_My song isn’t even remotely sad and somber. It’s for a wedding, for crying out loud._

“I heard there were even sounds of merriment, as if the devil himself had gotten hitched.”

Being one of the few pirate captains that has carved out a name for himself, this piece of information is not without merit.

“There was even someone who heard of souls being tormented, moaning, groaning, and gnashing of teeth.”

Jihoon almost hits the barkeep’s forehead, grog catching in his throat. The gnarly man beside him looking on in concern as the young man started coughing up his drink. He hits the young man lightly against the back until he’s sure he can breath again.

“Kids nowadays overstepping their bounds, the drink here isn’t even strong enough to blow out a candle.” The man laughs at his joke. “You should go back home, sonny. Your mother must be worried sick.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jihoon wipes his mouth on his sleeve, throws a couple of coins on the bar before stabbing it with his cutlass, using it to help hoist him up and out of the stool he was sitting on. He pulls it out, twirls it around, and smoothly slots it into his belt. He’s almost outside the door before he stops.

“By the way, that haunted dirge... I believe it was more of a wedding march.” Jihoon tips his hat before he is gone.

“HA! ‘Quite fitting for a demon’s wedding!” The man tries to nudge his friend before he realizes that he wasn’t sitting beside him anymore. He looks over to see that all of the other patrons had moved away from him, the barkeep himself backing up against the wall. “The hell’s the matter with you lot? ‘Scared of a kid’s story?”

“That... that wasn’t a kid. That was U.G.”

“What are you talking about? That pipsqueak couldn’t have been him.”

“All I know is that if you hadn’t caught him in a good mood, your head would already be rolling on the floor.”

The man falls off his chair, terrified beyond all belief, for not everyone who encounters Une Guillotine lived to tell the tale.

I want you to be the match of my heart

Like the sun and the sky at the break of dawn

We’re becoming more like each other as time passes

Witness how we’ll become one in the end

Baby, you...

I look back at the time

The time I earnestly dreamed

I’m getting closer to that dream

Wherever we are in this world

As long as we trust each other, the moment we meet...

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics of the wedding song that Jihoon made, they're Soonyoung's parts in Highlight


End file.
